Exploring Afrobeats: Part I

Taking a look at the genre that's "taking over the world."

If you're looking for someone who knows their way around Afrobeats, it ain't me, babe. Try the Afrobeats Intelligence site, where Joey Akan holds forth on the topic. He just wrote a timely piece about Afrobeats and the Grammys.

I've tried to explore Afrobeats a few times, but recently decided to try again. I don't stream much and don't use Spotify, so I dug up an old Pandora account. I tuned into "Today's Afrobeats Radio," Pandora's second-highest African stream, after just plain "African." I listened to eight songs (see below) and then switched to "Afrobeat," the third most popular African stream.

My methodology is pretty weak and I won't make too many sweeping statements based on this small sampling. I'll try for a Part II one of these days. But for now, here's my summary, to be taken with a grain of salt:

• Afrobeats is fine but so far it's not for me.

• Most songs feature a similar understated ticky-tocky rhythm.

• Most songs rely heavily on Auto-Tune. Which is putting it mildly.

• I didn't hear much of the "Afro" influence in any of these songs.

The Songs

• Ayra Starr - Commas

• Kel-P - True Love

• Bayanni - Ta Ta Ta

• Burna Boy & Byron Messia - Talibans II

• Ayra Starr - Rush

• Fireboy DML - Peru

• Tekno - Peace of Mind

• Joeboy - Sip (Alcohol)

• Burna Boy - Last Last

• Rema - Calm Down

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